Wherein the Flame Alchemist Adopts Three Kids
by WeAreStarStuff618
Summary: It was meant to be a simple evaluation of a moderately talented alchemist. He had been warned that Mr. Tucker would most likely fail. And that he would very likely have to strip him of his certification. So he should be ready for that. What he got instead, there was no way to be ready for.


Roy Mustang stared at white hospital walls and shifted in his uncomfortable chair. He let out a massive sigh. This day was just getting more and more unpleasant.

It was meant to be a simple evaluation of a moderately talented alchemist. He had been warned that Mr. Tucker would most likely fail. And that he would very likely have to strip him of his certification. So he should be ready for that.

What he got instead, there was no way to be ready for it.

Instead of a mediocre alchemist he found two children cowering in a corner and a third child (the oldest) bleeding out from having lost his arm and leg. He was inside in some sort of transmutation circle. For what purpose, he didn't know. Nor did he want to. The runes and equations that he could understand made his stomach twist.

His horror at the awful circle was interrupted by his lieutenant's scream. He looked away from the bleeding child to see a creature he was loathe to believe had ever been human writhing on the floor in front of them.

It was only after lieutenant Hawkeye had unloaded her clip into the thing That he had been able to turn his attention back to the wounded child.

The boy, (he couldn't have been more than ten) kept apologizing as They applied tourniquets made from Roy's shirt to his bleeding stumps. "It's a good thing I hate this shirt." He had joked.

I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. The kid cried. He was going to use Al. Had to stop him. I'm so sorry...

Roy saw a scalpel where the kid's right hand should been and things snapped into horrifying clarity. He pocketed the blade as he got up. No good would come of the police finding it. He could melt it down later.

Through dumb luck managed to keep the boy stable until the ambulance arrived.

The other two children had been allowed to ride with him.

And in all honesty that should have been the end of his involvement.

Except for the boys' eyes. They were gold. Like a fairytale he barely remembered his mother telling him once.

He'd only seen eyes like that once before.

So he followed behind in his own car And Sent the lieutenant to pick up some files from a cold case from a few years ago.

He had some theories he desperately needed to be debunked. There was no way.

Tucker couldn't be that evil. Could he?

And now he found himself in the waiting room with two quiet children on each side of him.

He snapped his fingers, entertaining young Nina Tucker with tiny flames.

The other child, Alphonse "Tucker", remained in deep silent thought.

Edward was still in surgery but the doctors were very optimistic.

Hawkeye arrived with the files and he extinguished the small flames dancing around his fingers.

"The file on the Elric case, sir."

"Thank You, Lieutenant" He smiled gratefully.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Granted."

"I don't understand. Why these files? This case went cold years ago. What does this have in common with- wait, you don't think-?" She caught on to his reasoning quickly. She always was perceptive. "That's evil! You don't really think-"

"I don't know." His Gaze narrowed at the Manila folder in his lap. "I intend to find out though."

His expression softened, "You should go home and get some rest. I get the feeling we're in for some massive headaches tomorrow."

She left with a "Thank You Sir"And a salute.

And now he was alone with children. Great.

"Mr. Mustang?" Nina piped up.

"Hmmm?"

"Earlier,before daddy got mean, he said Ed and Al aren't really my brothers. Is that true?"

Roy closed the file. He got the confirmation he had been dreading. But what to say to her? She'd already been through so much today. It felt wrong to add to it.

"Do you love and look out for each other?"

She brightened, "Yeah! And we play together but sometimes Ed can be really mean! Yesterday he hid my doll! And wouldn't tell me where he put it!"

Yesterday. Yesterday they were a normal family of four. Tomorrow, if he puts the truth in his report they'll be separated. Nina would be sent to a state orphanage and he knew from personal experience that it would be awful. The boys' real mother, Trisha Elric had died three years ago. And Alphonse would be old enough to work soon. He would likely be sent to a factory. And Edward with two limbs missing would you cast out on the streets.

So he smiled at her, "sounds like you're siblings to me!"

Both kids seemed to relax into his sides at this. He did his best to ignore the warm fuzziness of this moment.

When the doctor came out to tell him that Edward was awake and able to answer questions, he got up slowly so as not to wake the sleepers at his sides.

Roy put the file in his pocket. He would "misplace" it along with the scalpel when they got home. They? When did that happen? He supposed one night couldn't hurt.

And as he walked into Edward's room, he most certainly wasn't considering automail specialists for him.


End file.
